Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-11-14

And the buge Wild aud .hriii.
Every year come many tourists to visit thi.
noted spot. For among its names are those
lllustrious not only to our country but to all
the world and to all history.
The earliest stone which the aged sexton
has been able To find, so he informs me. is a
little rough, broken slab of slate bearing in
| ancient characters the date l7l7.
Not least among the many stones which in
tercst the curious visitor, resting side by side
are two bearing the names of the comrade,
who fell in that famous fight between the
Enterprise and the Boxer While
yet in the early prime of manhood
like Wolfe and Montcalm, one fell in the prid,
of victory, the other in time to escape the
humiliation of defeat But in the hour OF
death each received tribute of equal honor
an life honorable
I'm death glorious,
III. country will long dcpore Of her briyest son.
His friends long lament OF the best Of men -
! is the noble tribute paid to the commander
of the Boxer, while on the stone which mark.
the grave of his opponent is inscribed thi,
touching cptaph;
~ passing stranger has erectedvhi-
Monument Of respect to the
Names OF
Apairiot who in the hour Of peril
! bbeYcd the loud summons of an injured country
And who CALAMITY met
Fought and conquered
The focman."
OF the few now living whose memory
carries them back to that early date, one, An
old man who has already lived his threcscore
years and ten and score of years besides.
related it to me. Brief and scanty as the
account is, it may be worth the telling
The year of 1907 said he. was for
Portland great year. In that year was the
embargo, the building of the observatory
and the burial of Commodore PrebIe, the
father of the American navy, as he was
called 1t was he who beat the
rripoli 50 that We never had to pay tribute
To them after that. Portland was then no
more than a little country town of about six
thousand inhabitants. When the observatory
was built there were twenty two unpaintcd
houses on Munjoy Hill. On Middle street,
instead of an unbroken row of tall stores
there would be house or two, an open lot.
perhaps LAWYERS office, and then a store or
so. can remember when could look out
on Congress street and not see man or n
team pass for an hour ut time. You could
hardly do that now
The burial of Commodore Prcble was a
great event then for the city. People came
from far and near to witness it. There are no
such facilities for travel then as there are now
They sent away for musicians for the occa-
sion, several came from Boston, and few
from New York. Portland could not so much
as furnish hearse so the coffin was carried
on the shoulders of four stalwart men. The
procession started on Middle street, near
where the CaSco bank now stands. 1t went
up Free street aud made circuit of the city.
At various places there were relays of men
to relieve each other in bearing the coffin.
remember well the fight between the En-
tcrprise and the Boxer | was then only
about sixteen years old. From the time the
Enterprise left the harbor to encounter the
Boxer until she returned victorious, her
course was anxiouSly watched through the
telescope in the observatory. During the
fight the guns could not be heard but the
watchers could see the thick volume of smoke
which enveloped the ships 1t was not known
till some time after the fight which had won
the victory and meantime all was excitement
and suspense rs soon as the ships came in
to the harbor after the tght--for it occurred
about 80 miles from here toward Boothbay,
three other bows about my own age and got
a boat and first went ON board the Enterprise
The Boxer had fired so high that her hull
was not much damaged but her rigging was
completely torn 10 pieces. out of her crew
of a hundred men only three were killed.
The captain was killed by musket ball in
the breast Then we went on board the
Boxer but that was more than we had bar
out. Her decks had not been washed down.
and they were literally ankle deep in gore.
ont of her role of - men only - answered
Ia their names after the battle The captain
Law on the deck having been completely DIS
embowelled by cannon ball. shall never
forget the sight Her decks were literally
shot into splnters.
The Boxer was a large and more roomy
vessel than the Enterprise, but she was not
enough for her in the fight Afterwards she
was bought by some Portland merchants and
was often seen after that in the harbor. She
had been fitted out with the intention of
meeting the Enterprise, and her captain and
crew were confident of victory, but the
ENTERPRISE knew she was coming and was all
prepared for her.
The two commanders of the ships we're
buried with great pomp. Their corpses
were brought from the ships in barges
rowed hy slipmasters and mates, at minute
strokes. while at each stroke, doomed min
ute guns from each ship alternately, and con
timed till the funeral ceremonies were com
plete. The bodies were received by the pro-
cession at Union wharf, and TO make the I'M
nression more sombre. if possible, during
the progress of the barges from the ships to
the wharf, solemn music was performed by
full band.
To the meagre account of that famous sea
Sob, 7 will only add the finished touch, OF
that master mind already quoted;
81 remember the sea fight far away
How il Numbered DER the TIDE,
And the dead captains, as they lay nh,
In their graves DER looking the tranquil DAY
Where they in battle died"